E-tender must from April 1 for govt purchases above Rs 2 lakh

New Delhi: Come April 1, all central ministries and public sector units will have to float e-tenders for procuring goods and services exceeding Rs 2 lakh, a move aimed at bringing transparency in government purchases.

Expenditure Secretary Ratan Watal

At present, e-procurement is mandatory for purchases of Rs 5 lakh or more. Government procures goods, services and work contracts.

In January, the Expenditure Department had decided the tender value limit of Rs 10 lakh spent in respect of e-procurement would be brought down to Rs 5 lakh from April 1, 2015 and further down to Rs 2 lakh from April 1, 2016.

As per its instructions it is mandatory for all central ministries, departments and Central Public Sector Enterprises, and autonomous/statutory bodies to publish their tenders on the Central Procurement Portal ( CPP) after a certain threshold limit.